LIONS: Tony Dungy thinks Jim Caldwell will be good for Matthew Stafford

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - NOVEMBER 13: Jim Caldwell the Head Coach of the Indianapolis Colts watches the game action in the Colts 17-3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 13, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

ALLEN PARK — When Tony Dungy as coach and Jim Caldwell as quarterbacks coach first arrived in Indianapolis in 2002, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning was entering his fifth season.

He wasn’t all of that. Yet.

Dungy sees similarities in the situation with Matthew Stafford, Manning and Caldwell, who was named the new Lions head coach on Tuesday.

Caldwell has earned a reputation of working magic as a quarterbacks coach, offensive coordinator and head coach in 36 years of coaching.

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“I think it’s a learning process,’’ Dungy said in a phone interview on Tuesday. “We got to Indianapolis, Peyton Manning had been four years in the league — two really good years 13-3 and 10-6, and had a 3-13 and a 6-10 year.

“Very explosive, threw some interceptions, up and down, hadn’t won a playoff game,’’ Dungy said.

Sound familiar?

“We had an offense that spread people out at Indianapolis, we had similar type of talent (as the Lions) at wide receiver and running back and Peyton, with a young quarterback who can handle a lot. I think he’s going to be great for Stafford,’’ Dungy said. “I think he’s going to help him not just be an explosive quarterback, but he’s going to play winning football in those big situations. I know how he helped Peyton prepare, I know how he helped (Ravens’ Joe) Flacco prepare. Brad Johnson was the first NFL quarterback he worked with in Tampa with me. I knew what he did with those three guys, I think he’ll do the same with Matthew.’’

When Stafford met with Caldwell during the interview process, Caldwell had critiqued each pass from last season.

“I think working with Jim and getting across that ‘Hey we can still be explosive, we can still throw for a ton of yards, we can take care of the ball and make good decisions.’ That’s how you become a championship quarterback, not just a great quarterback. I think Jim will get that same thing across to Matthew. I would look for him to continue that explosiveness, but be more efficient. If there’s one word I can describe Jim Caldwell’s system it’s efficient and not making mistakes.’’

Stafford has the talent — he threw for 41 touchdowns and 5,038 yards taking the Lions to the playoffs in 2011 — but perhaps needs new direction.

Jeff Saturday, the long-time Colts center who played for Dungy and Caldwell, doesn’t buy the argument that Manning didn’t need coaching.
“Listen every player has to be coached and Peyton Manning wants to be coached and always wanted to be coached. He wants a guy who’s committed to the organization and the team as he is, that was Jim Caldwell for him. He’s not afraid to correct or to talk about here’s a mistake you made. That’s what Caldwell bought to us,’’ Saturday said in an ESPN interview on Tuesday.

“He has a great offensive mind. He knows how to work with quarterbacks to get the most out of them. He did it with (Joe) Flacco, he did it with Manning and he’ll do it with (Matthew) Stafford in Detroit,’’ Saturday said of Caldwell.

Dungy worked with Caldwell for eight seasons — seven in Indianapolis and one in Tampa Bay. He knows him well.

Because of his experience — and two Super Bowl rings — he expects Caldwell will earn immediate respect from the Lions’ players.

“I think that’s big. I can look at myself when I went to Tampa as a young head coach, you want the players to buy in and they want to buy in but you don’t have the track record,’’ Dungy said. “... For a guy like Caldwell who’s done it and taken teams to the Super Bowl, that’s really important that’s going to help the buy-in process.

“That’s where Detroit is now,’’ Dungy said. “They don’t need a long process, they’re on the doorstep they need to turn this around right away. I think Jim will be able to do that.’’

About the Author

Paula Pasche is a longtime sports writer for The Oakland Press and blogs at http://oplions.blogspot.com/. Author of book, "100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die." Follow on Tout and Twitter @paulapasche. Reach the author at paula.pasche@oakpress.com
or follow Paula on Twitter: @PaulaPasche.